


May I Catch Your Magic Carp?

by Spiria



Series: PoGo Trigger [1]
Category: World Trigger
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-13
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-07-23 18:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7475370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spiria/pseuds/Spiria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Pokémon Go] Ninomiya is living a quiet life at the lakehouse when a blond boy shows up at his doorstep, asking about a magic carp.</p>
            </blockquote>





	May I Catch Your Magic Carp?

**Author's Note:**

> I was joking with a couple of friends about a Pokémon Go AU and the idea spiraled out of control. The bottom line is I love to make fun of Ninomiya, which must have bled into Inukai's characterization, because he thinks the guy's hilarious.
> 
> I don't actually play PoGo that much, so the elements featured in the fic are the very basics.

Most people who pass Ninomiya’s lakehouse do so with a fleeting glimpse, more focused on reaching their destination than looking at an out-of-the-way stranger’s home, which is just fine for the man living in it. Today, however, he spies a blond boy veering close with eyes glued to the phone, and mistakenly thinks he must be lost when there's a knock. Narrowing his eyes, he opens the door to be greeted by the very same boy, who asks, “May I catch your Magikarp?”

“What?”

“For PoGo,” he explains, which doesn't help at all.

As it turns out, there’s a new mobile game where players cover real distance to capture exotic creatures. Ninomiya already doesn’t care for an application so intrusive, but lets the boy in under the condition that nothing inside gets touched. The boy finds his way to the other side of the house where the windows open to the lake, using his phone as a guide, and Ninomiya is thankful that his floor is free of obstructions.

A few minutes later, he hears the boy make a sound and asks, “Did you find it?”

The boy nods and shows Ninomiya his phone, whose screen displays a red fish with a gaping mouth that looks nothing like a magical carp. Apparently, this cartoon character had been swimming around his house for days. Ninomiya doesn’t know what to make of that knowledge.

“I didn’t think I’d find it in the area, but this lake is like a reservoir.” The boy taps at the screen, then asks, “Is it all right if I drop by again?”

There are more of those red abominations swimming around his house, Ninomiya thinks. “You weren’t done?”

“If I want to level this, I’m going to have to capture duplicates. It’s a long process if you’re playing leisurely.”

The boy, who introduces himself as Inukai Sumiharu, seems harmless and hasn't made a mess anywhere in the five minutes he's been inside. Five minutes a day out of his vacation don't amount to much; ergo, Ninomiya permits another visit, provided that he's home when it happens.

 

* * *

 

The next day, Inukai drops by at the same hour as before. He greets Ninomiya, flicks his fingers across the screen a few times, and leaves with Ninomiya sipping ginger ale the whole while.

 

* * *

 

On the third day, Inukai turns his phone on and says, "Ah, you have a Psyduck, too."

"Psyduck?"

Inukai turns his phone around and shows Ninomiya the screen. "Here."

Judging by its name, Ninomiya had thought it would be a psychic duck, whatever that means. In the end, all he sees is a confused, hairless duckling whose expression vaguely reminds him of Hatohara when she's lost track of something. It looks pathetic.

"It looks silly now, but it's a great swimmer once it evolves. If I catch enough, I'll show you," says Inukai. He no longer asks permission to return, but always comes back at the same time so that Ninomiya isn't surprised.

 

* * *

 

Amid catching more magical carps and psychic ducks, Inukai looks over his shoulder from the couch and asks, "Do you mind if I bring along someone I like?"

"Do they play that game, too?" At Inukai's nod - a good sign, because Ninomiya isn't about to let his house become a hot spot for teenage intimacy - he says, "Do as you'd like."

"By the way, Ninomiya-san, what do you do for a living? You're always here."

Ninomiya turns to the next page of the book he started earlier that morning. "I'm on vacation."

"Wow, really? I thought you'd be a workaholic."

"Overwork leads to fatigue. The repercussions are more severe from burnout than taking periodic breaks. Only a fool works without rest."

Inukai hums. "I guess that's true."

"But you're still a student," says Ninomiya, noting Inukai's uniform, which must belong to a private school. Either Inukai comes from a wealthy household, or he does well in his studies and gets by on scholarships. "Shouldn't you be doing homework and extracurricular activities instead of playing games on the phone?"

"I do all of that before I come here. I live close to school, so it's easy to finish up and drop off everything."

Because he isn't the boy's father, Ninomiya drops the line of query and returns to his book with a muted hum. He hears the shuffling of Inukai's feet on the polished floor as the latter shuts down his phone and leaves with a cheery farewell.

 

* * *

 

On his next visit, Inukai is tailed by a dark-haired boy in the same uniform, both of them holding a plastic bag each. Inukai returns Ninomiya's cursory glance with the wave of his free hand as he says, "Ninomiya-san, this is Tsuji. He's my junior at school."

Tsuji bows and gives his greetings politely. Ninomiya had wondered what kind of person Inukai would like enough to haul over to a stranger's house, and finds himself a little surprised by the answer. "He's the one you mentioned," he says to Inukai.

"Not what you were expecting, huh?" Inukai raises the bag in his possession. "And we got you ginger ale."

"Why?"

"You have a serious addiction, Ninomiya-san. You're either starting or in the middle of a can whenever I visit. I mentioned it to Tsuji-chan and he thought it'd be a good idea to get you some. Can I set them down in the kitchen? Here, Tsuji-chan, give me yours."

Flying past Ninomiya with a bag in each hand, Inukai is a blur. At the door, Tsuji has yet to invite himself in and says, "Thank you for your hospitality. Inukai-senpai appreciates your generosity, too."

"Does he," says Ninomiya, tone of voice flat. He eyes Tsuji. "You play that game?"

"Yes. It was Inukai-senpai's idea." Of course it was.

Having moved to the back of the house, Inukai's shout is muffled. "Hey, Tsuji-chan! Come check out this spot. I think you'll find something good."

Tsuji shifts, looking up at Ninomiya. "May I?"

"Come in," replies Ninomiya. "Take off your shoes."

 

* * *

 

Inukai and Tsuji are at the back again when someone knocks on the door. Ninomiya glances over in the boys' direction, but they look just as surprised that he has another visitor. At the door, Hatohara offers him a container of barbecued meat to have for dinner that night.

"This is unnecessary," says Ninomiya, but lets Hatohara in to drop off the container in the kitchen, which is when she notices the other guests in the back. All of a sudden, Ninomiya dreads the possibility of having to explain why two boys are in his house, because "magic carps" and "psychic ducks" are absurd no matter how he phrases them.

Thankfully, Inukai breaks the ice. "Ninomiya-san, is that your girlfriend?"

"No. She's about your age." Ninomiya motions for Hatohara to drop off the meat, giving her an opportunity to escape for the moment.

"You don't look that much older, though," says Inukai.

"I'm twenty years old."

"Wow!" Ninomiya doesn't want to know why that comes as such a surprise. Inukai has already moved on, climbing onto his feet and walking over with the screen of his phone facing Ninomiya. "By the way, here's Golduck, Psyduck's evolution."

Ninomiya glowers and is promptly affronted by what he sees. "It's blue."

Inukai laughs. "Isn't it? But they named it Golduck."

"Even for a children's game, this is unreasonable."

"Well, since it's a game, anything goes. You can nickname your catch, though - if you play it, you can name yours 'Bluduck'!"

"I am not playing the game to correct a misshapen duck's name."

Hatohara has returned and interjects then, seemingly invigorated by the topic at hand. To Ninomiya's utter shock, she pulls out her own phone and shows off her first catch to Inukai, which appears to be a pink abomination with a tongue too large to be sensible. She tells him it's called "Licky Tongue."

That night, Ninomiya steals glances at his phone on the kitchen island and seriously considers what to do about his vacation now that he's finished his book.

 

* * *

 

Inukai comes alone today, and Ninomiya takes this as a chance to ask, "Show me how to start the game."

The premise of the game is laughably simple, no doubt geared at collectors looking to flash their virtual trophies. Ninomiya doesn't concern himself with "catching them all," turning his attention onto the magic carp ("Magikarp") that enters his immediate range. With Inukai's instruction, he captures the fish when the boy points out the pencil icon and says, "You can change the name with this."

Ninomiya names his Magikarp "Crimson Carp," and proceeds to spend his spare free time on catching duplicates as sacrificial lamb to boost his electronic pet.

 

* * *

 

One day, Ninomiya wakes up and realizes that his carp has vanished and been replaced by a severely misnamed serpent. Inukai arrives with Tsuji in the afternoon; the former busies himself with levels, leaving the latter to answer some urgent questions.

"Tsuji," says Ninomiya, approaching the boy. From this angle, he notices that Tsuji has a Golduck named "Plesiosauria," which is frankly baffling. Tsuji looks at him, and he procures his phone. "Tell me what happened here."

"Your Psyduck evolved," says Tsuji after gleaning context from the nickname. "You must have pressed the button."

"The button . . . " Ninomiya recalls that such an option existed under the leveling button. "I see."

Inukai chooses that moment to inject himself into the conversation, having spent his resources to catch more fish. "What's this? Ninomiya-san's Magikarp evolved into Gyarados? Congratulations, Ninomiya-san!"

If he has to be honest, Ninomiya doesn't care much for Gyarados. He becomes acutely aware of the yearning sensation for his old Magikarp, which had been just fine the way it had been. However, this is not something he can admit to Inukai or Tsuji, and so he says nothing.

**Author's Note:**

> We also joked that Inukai's house is ironically surrounded by Skitty while Tsuji's residence attracts all the Ralts that later evolve into Gardevoir.
> 
> Please don't let strangers into your home for a phone app.


End file.
